Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Such treatments are not currently available in the National Health Service. Before such treatments could be made available for human application, rigorous research and clinical trials would have to be completed.
	Whether to give assistance or not to NHS patients seeking treatment from outside the European economic area is a decision for each NHS trust or primary care trust to make based on agreed criteria.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government's policy on membership of the single currency is unchanged. It remains as set out by the Chancellor in his Statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's Statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003. The determining factor underpinning any Government decision on membership of the single currency is the national economic interest and whether the economic case for joining is clear and unambiguous.
	The Chancellor announced in Budget 2007 that,
	"the Government do not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this Budget".
	The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor's June 2003 Statement.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Gangmasters Licensing Authority initiated an investigation earlier this year in response to various allegations against Focus Staff Limited but I. can not comment on the detail of operational matters.
	The Gangmasters Licensing Authority's investigation has led to Focus Staff Limited losing its licence and further action is being considered by the appropriate authorities.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The department has not made an estimate of the number of people in England suffering from all kinds of dementia. However, figures from Office for National Statistics in 2004 indicate that 233,621 people were diagnosed with cancer in England.
	The department has not estimated the comparative cost of treating and caring for people suffering from dementia and cancer.
	Expenditure on social care for people with dementia and cancer is not held centrally. However, estimates of National Health Service expenditure on mental health, including dementia, and cancer are available from the programme budgeting returns. In the 2005-06 financial year, gross expenditure on mental health was estimated at £8.5 billion, with £0.9 billion of this total made up of spend on dementia. A further £4.3 billion was spent in 2005-06 on treating all cancers.

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response and that of the Middle East Quartet to the list of 33 benchmarks to be implemented by Israel and the Palestinian Authority during 2007; and whether they include family re-unification in both the West Bank and Gaza.

Lord Triesman: The quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) has not discussed these plans with Israel. We will continue to discuss settlement activities with EU parties, including with EU High Representative Solana and EU Special Representative Otte, both of who attend quartet meetings.
	We are concerned about the announcement of new housing units in east Jerusalem. We have raised this with the Israeli Government. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv did so on 1 March with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. Settlements are illegal under international law and settlement construction is an obstacle to peace. We will continue to raise this with the Israeli Government.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Electronic passport reading facilities are in place at all ports of entry enabling all passports with machine readable zones to be read.

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When a vocational driver who is also a member of the Voluntary Reserve Forces starts a training weekend on or after 7 pm on a Friday and finishes no later than 5 pm on the Sunday, at what time the driver is legally allowed to recommence work under the (European Union Drivers' Hours Regulations (EC 561/2006).

Lord Drayson: Under the European Drivers' Hours Regulation, a vocational driver must take a regular weekly rest period of at least 45 consecutive hours, which can be reduced down to 24 hours every other week, before recommencing work.
	Unless the driver is able to complete the required weekly rest period before commencing weekend training as a member of the Voluntary Reserve Forces, the driver must take the required weekly rest period as soon as that training finishes.
	This would mean that a driver who finishes training at 5 pm on a Sunday would not be able to recommence work until 5 pm on the following Monday (if taking a reduced rest of 24 hours) or 2 pm on the following Tuesday (if taking the full 45 hours).

Lord Drayson: The Ministry of Defence is currently in the process of assessing the long-term impact that the EU regulation may have and is devising ways of minimising it. However, given the exceptional circumstances the Government will seek a formal derogation from certain aspects of the EU regulation for professional drivers who are members of the Voluntary Reserve Forces as soon as practicably possible. As my honourable friend the Minister of State for Transport (Dr Ladyman) promised the noble Lord when they met on 23 April, he will update Parliament when these details have been finalised. The final decision to grant the derogation rests with the European Commission.
	I will write to the noble Lord once the assessment of long-term impact of the EU regulation has been completed and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Under what criteria performance related bonuses are paid to employees of the Rural Payments Agency.

Lord Rooker: The Environment Agency is currently undertaking a review of abstraction licences that may impact on the integrity of Natura 2000 sites; this work should be completed in 2008. Similar work is being undertaken on abstraction licences that may be damaging sites of special scientific interest in England. The number of abstraction licences that will need to be amended or revoked to meet obligations for Natura 2000 sites and sites of special scientific interest will become clear when this work has been completed.